Destructive children............

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 6:31 pm

I have to say that I am quite horrified at the general destructive nature of children, these days. I was looking out of our sitting room window, which over-looks a childrens' play park, the other day and was disgusted at seeing the violent and willful violence in trying to smash a microwave cooker of all things ! Stamping on it, throwing it, kicking it ! It seems that these days, children have this urge to smash things up ! I see examples of this behaviour nearly every day !

Why are children so violently destructive these days, and don't tell me that it has always been like that, because I know that children very rarely deliberately smashed things 20, 30, or so years ago ! It is a worrying trend, and I don't know what has caused it !

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:25 am

It happened when I was a kid Gill. No question. I don't think this is a new phenomena at all. Did you ever see Hope and Glory ? The film about growing up in WW 2. There's a scene where the kids were playing on a bomb site and one kid shouts out to all the others " let's go and smash things up" and they all ran away cheering

Post by **LarsMac** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:32 am

Children have always had a desire to take things apart, and will use whatever tools are at their disposal.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:40 am

I think kids are more curious then destructive-though that usually happens to the object. I can remember my brothers tearing apart any old electronic device or gadget just to see how it worked.

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:38 am

LarsMac;1483285 wrote: Children have always had a desire to take things apart, and will use whatever tools are at their disposal.

I agree, but sometimes it's not a pretty sight to behold. lol

Post by **LarsMac** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:41 am

along-for-the-ride;1483288 wrote: I agree, but sometimes it's not a pretty sight to behold. lol

Yep. taking them apart is often the easy part. Getting them back together is another story.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 10:40 am

LarsMac;1483289 wrote: Yep. taking them apart is often the easy part. Getting them back together is another story.

I still do it..............ask my wife

cars · Post by **cars** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 2:37 am

Today's children are not only destroying belongings, (which is certainly wrong) their violent nature has spread to violence to one another, and they smash each other up as well!

It's scary.

(By the way, hi all, it's been awhile)

Post by **Betty Boop** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 3:38 am

I'm with the 'this has always happened' brigade.

I have a destructive child, takes everything apart and ruins things, he's just curious possibly far too curious for his own good :wah:

Most children all go through stages of bad behaviour, I have a teenage rebel to contend with at the moment as well as the destructive one. It's great fun :wah:

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 4:10 am

All I can say is that we (my two brothers and me, and several years later, my younger sister), must have been oddballs, because at a very early age we learnt to respect things and people. That is probably why I'm horrified at childrens' behaviour now, and the lack of adult ability to curb such anti-social behaviour. Obviously I appreciate that some children have mental problems, etc. and this makes it very difficult to minimise their anti-social actions, but these children should be in the minority not the majority, surely. No I'm not a 'goody two shoes' and I, and my brothers, used to get up to all sorts of mischief. That is what it was, naughty mischief, not disrespect to adults or damage to property - we knew the difference at very early ages. What I want to know is why does this destructive behaviour and disrespect seem so 'normal' amongst our youngsters these days ?

cars · Post by **cars** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:35 am

G#Gill;1483319 wrote: All I can say is that we (my two brothers and me, and several years later, my younger sister), must have been oddballs, because at a very early age we learnt to respect things and people. That is probably why I'm horrified at childrens' behaviour now, and the lack of adult ability to curb such anti-social behaviour. Obviously I appreciate that some children have mental problems, etc. and this makes it very difficult to minimise their anti-social actions, but these children should be in the minority not the majority, surely. No I'm not a 'goody two shoes' and I, and my brothers, used to get up to all sorts of mischief. That is what it was, naughty mischief, not disrespect to adults or damage to property - we knew the difference at very early ages. What I want to know is why does this destructive behaviour and disrespect seem so 'normal' amongst our youngsters these days ?

I believe it has to do with all the violence & destruction shown on TV shows these days!

It runs rampage every day on so many of the TV shows the kids watch! (In USA, don't know about in your part of the world, assume it might)

(The shows never display any consequences that should be (and may have been) given to the destructive kids.) So the kids today sort of get brainwashed into thinking it's the acceptable thing to do!

Prior Censorship on our TV shows from yesteryear, today here in the states seem non existent!

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:41 am

I remember my father going ballistic when he found me feeding earthworms into the cogs of a mangle.

I don't have a blood thirsty bone in my body.

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:56 am

cars;1483331 wrote: I believe it has to do with all the violence & destruction shown on TV shows these days!

It runs rampage every day on so many of the TV shows the kids watch! (In USA, don't know about in your part of the world, assume it might)

(The shows never display any consequences that should be (and may have been) given to the destructive kids.) So the kids today sort of get brainwashed into thinking it's the acceptable thing to do!

Prior Censorship on our TV shows from yesteryear, today here in the states seem non existent!

Cars, you've probably got it right there ! I think youngsters have been de-sensitised with so much violence being shown. You're also correct when you say that consequences of violent/destructive actions on TV are very rarely shown, so that children can learn to think of consequences of their actions.

We have, in the UK, what is called the 'water shed' and it is from 9pm when it is advised that programs are not suitable for child viewing. However, I know that it is unusual for children aged 5 to 12 years old to be in bed before that time in the UK. So, quite frankly, what is the point of having a 'water shed' time at 9pm ? Such iffy programs should be shown after 10 pm, then maybe more children will not watch such stuff, then maybe behavior could improve !

Smaug · Post by **Smaug** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:41 am

G#Gill;1483336 wrote: Cars, you've probably got it right there ! I think youngsters have been de-sensitised with so much violence being shown. You're also correct when you say that consequences of violent/destructive actions on TV are very rarely shown, so that children can learn to think of consequences of their actions.

We have, in the UK, what is called the 'water shed' and it is from 9pm when it is advised that programs are not suitable for child viewing. However, I know that it is unusual for children aged 5 to 12 years old to be in bed before that time in the UK. So, quite frankly, what is the point of having a 'water shed' time at 9pm ? Such iffy programs should be shown after 10 pm, then maybe more children will not watch such stuff, then maybe behavior could improve !

What happened to Parents being responsible for their children's behaivior? And appropriate punishment? Otherwise how do they learn about "cause and effect"?

Too many "Oh, you can't punish the child, it's self-expression" do-gooders.

ZAP · Post by **ZAP** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:40 am

This has been all over the local news. We were in Santa Cruz when this happened, although we weren't aware of it then. I think the violence and graphic gore that young people (and adults) are viewing today can share the blame for this kind of senseless, horrific tragedy.

Teen Arrested for Murder After 8-Year-Old's Body Found in Recycling Bin, Police Say - ABC News

ZAP · Post by **ZAP** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:57 am

The "game" of Knockout, still going on:

ttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-251161 ... ictim.html

Smaug · Post by **Smaug** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 11:50 am

ZAP;1483398 wrote: This has been all over the local news. We were in Santa Cruz when this happened, although we weren't aware of it then. I think the violence and graphic gore that young people (and adults) are viewing today can share the blame for this kind of senseless, horrific tragedy.

Teen Arrested for Murder After 8-Year-Old's Body Found in Recycling Bin, Police Say - ABC News

Well, if you eat a poor diet, you'll have poor health. The same applies to what you watch on telly. Or how you operate a computer.

I blame the de-sensitization process (mainly) on violent telly progs, video games,dropping standards of discipline, drugs and alcohol.

Rubbish in, rubbish out!!

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 1:13 pm

Smaug;1483377 wrote: What happened to Parents being responsible for their children's behaivior? And appropriate punishment? Otherwise how do they learn about "cause and effect"?

Too many "Oh, you can't punish the child, it's self-expression" do-gooders.

You're right. It is easy to blame external influences like television and such, but it usually boils down to what kind of parental and family supervision children have, as well as the examples set by parents, other adults, and older child relatives with whom they regularly interact.

Too many children are left to their own devices far too much, while their parents and other "responsible adults" are busy doing whatever they think is more important than minding children.

ZAP · Post by **ZAP** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 2:19 pm

LarsMac;1483426 wrote: You're right. It is easy to blame external influences like television and such, but it usually boils down to what kind of parental and family supervision children have, as well as the examples set by parents, other adults, and older child relatives with whom they regularly interact.

Too many children are left to their own devices far too much, while their parents and other "responsible adults" are busy doing whatever they think is more important than minding children.

You are so right of course. Parental supervision and family influence are so important and when it's lacking we can see some of the tragedy that follows.